Yesterday I downloaded and installed Apple iOS 27 onto my iPhone 17. I then elected to join the wait list for the iOS 27 Siri AI beta program. About four hours later I cleared the wait list and began to experience the new Siri AI. As a longtime Apple user, I was expecting magic. What I got instead was a huge disappointment.
Let me first make it clear that I am an Apple iPhone fanboy. I gave up on Android a long time ago and I’ve defended Apple through a lot. That being said, the new Siri is a huge disappointment to me, even in beta.
Why I Had Such High Hopes for the iOS 27 Siri AI Beta
For going on four years now Apple hasn’t been able to get AI right. We’ve seen so many stops and starts. New directions started then cancelled. Features announced at WWDC that never shipped. Meanwhile, Apple’s competitors have left it far behind. I genuinely thought the iOS 27 Siri AI beta would be the moment Apple caught up.
I fully recognize that what I may want Siri AI to do for me may differ greatly from your needs. I’m not looking for her to write me a novel. I want a practical, personal assistant that knows my photos, my home, and my family. Here is what I’ve experienced so far in my first 24 hours with the iOS 27 Siri AI beta on iPhone 17.
My Hands-On Tests: Where Siri AI Failed
1. Photo Recognition Was Embarrassing
I brought up several photos from my camera roll, one by one, and asked Siri to describe each one. She failed miserably. For example, she identified my 2011 Apple Mac Mini as being a Mac Studio. It’s not even close – the Mini is silver, tiny, and has a disc drive. The Mac Studio is a much larger, aluminum block.
I tried again with a photo of my dog in the backyard. She told me it was “a brown animal outdoors.” That’s not intelligence, that’s just avoiding being wrong. Apple has had on-device photo intelligence for years, so I expected the iOS 27 Siri AI beta to be dramatically better.
2. Photo Search Was Completely Broken
This one really shocked me. I asked her to find certain photos on my camera roll; e.g. of my wife. She responded by saying she found one, and displayed a real estate tax receipt. Huh?
I then said, “Find photos of my wife at the beach last summer.” She showed me three screenshots of text messages. There is zero connection. If the new Siri AI can’t search my own library accurately, what is the point of a personal intelligence?
3. Other Real-World Capabilities I Tested
This is where I started keeping a list. These are things I actually use assistants for in daily life, and the iOS 27 Siri AI beta couldn’t do any of them:
- Live Sports Updates: I asked, “Can you give me score updates periodically during the football game tonight?” She said she can’t provide proactive, periodic updates. I have to ask every time. That’s not an assistant.
- Amazon Alexa Integration: I asked, “Can you integrate with my Amazon Alexa devices?” The answer was a flat no. I have 6 Echo devices in my house. I was hoping for a bridge.
- Home Assistant Integration: I asked, “Can you integrate with Home Assistant without going through HomeKit, which I don’t own?” No. It only works through HomeKit.
- Hubitat Integration: Same question for my Hubitat Elevation hub. No again.
- Intelligent Notifications: I asked, “Can you let me know immediately when my wife sends me an email message?” No. She can summarize emails, but she can’t alert me based on who sent them. That’s a basic automation that competitors have had for two years.
While in the car
- Apple Maps — Siri AI turn-by-turn directions: I frequently get ‘Sorry, an error has occurred – try again later’ when navigating during a trip. That message at the top of the screen is persistent. If I don’t swipe to clear it, voice directions no longer work. If all of this isn’t fixed by the end of the beta cycle, I will have to switch to Google’s Waze, albeit a lesser app.
- iMessage – hands free: She tries to be overly helpful — actually interferes with sending a simple message –> makes sending a message by voice maddening — adds extra steps. That’s not the sort of added distraction I want while driving.
My Final Verdict on the iOS 27 Siri AI Beta
While I will continue to look for new things the iOS 27 Siri AI beta CAN do for me, I am a bit shell shocked at what she can’t do. I waited this long… and have little to show for it.
Apple keeps saying they are taking a thoughtful, privacy-first approach to AI. I respect that. But thoughtful shouldn’t mean four years late and still unable to tell a Mac Mini from a Mac Studio, or find a photo of my wife.
I’m not leaving iPhone. I’m still that fanboy. But for the first time, I’m seriously considering running a second assistant alongside Siri just to get actual work done.
Bottom line…Apple’s AI vision is still a mess. Tim Cook should be ashamed. The new guy has a lot of work ahead of him.
Disclaimer: This is my personal experience with the beta version of iOS 27 Siri AI on iPhone 17. Features and performance will likely change before final release.